A power user is a user of a personal computer who has the ability to use advanced features of programs which are beyond the abilities of "normal" users, but is not necessarily capable of computer programming and system administration. In enterprise software systems, this title may go to an individual who is not a programmer, but who is a specialist in a transaction or a business process.
Power User can also be described as a term for a leader (non-programmer) in enterprise software. Often these are people who retain their normal user job role, but also function in testing, training, and first-tier support of the enterprise software.
Self-identified power users may sometimes label themselves as power users if asked, even when they are less than fully competent. In one 1997 study involving design testing of a web application, self-identified power users refused to read any instructions, made wrong guesses, and repeatedly became so lost they could not complete the test.
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